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A Brief Summary of Wands
This page gives information on wandlore and has tips on how to match the wand to the character. Introduction Throughout my time as a journalist and archivist, I have found that those who are proficient in a craft, also tend to wax poetic when discussing it. While this is certainly useful when creating repositories of knowledge, it tends to be less so for the layman. As such I have taken it upon myself to go through Mr. Garrick Ollivander’s notes on the topic of Wandcraft, and to compile them into a brief and easily accessible source to spread his knowledge among those who simply haven’t the time to seek his personal notes out. Bear in mind that this abridged notation is a mere summary, and my own interpretation of Ollivander’s notes, for a more thorough examination of the art of Wandlore, I would strongly recommend reading his notes on the topic. Naturally, even an abridged summary of the characteristics of wands tends towards the lengthy, due to the wide variety of woods a wand can be made of. For that purpose, I have included a shorter "cheat sheet" at the end of this page, for all those who merely wish to glance at the properties or tendencies of a wand. Wand Woods Acacia – For the Thief. A subtle wand which bears an affinity for the quieter and more subtle magics. Alder – For the Stalwart. A loyal wand with an affinity for non-verbal magic. Apple – For the Leader. indicates an affinity for other magical beings. Ash – For the Implacable. An immensely loyal wand. Aspen – For the Revolutionary. A wand with an affinity for martial magic. Beech – For the Professor. A wand capable of immense subtlety and artistry. Blackthorn – For the Warrior. A powerful wand which bonds through danger and hardship. Black Walnut – For the Truthful. An immensely loyal and powerful wand, as long as the wielder remains honest and true. Cedar – For the Observer. This wand indicates a perceptive wielder who ought not to be underestimated, particularly when they defend those they care for. Cherry – For the Monk. A powerful and volatile wand which holds immense power, but requires a wielder of equally immense self control. Chestnut – For the Wild-Card. A multi-faceted, adaptive wood. This wand wood is unique in that it alone says little about the character of its wielder, though it does seem to ‘amplify’ the effects of the wand’s core. Cypress – For the Hero. This wand belongs to the bold and the self-sacrificing; the bearer of a Cypress wand tends to be unafraid to confront the shadows in their own, and in others’ natures. Dogwood – For the Trickster. This wand prefers clever and ingenious wizards with a flair for the dramatic. It can be immensely powerful and dramatic, but tends to lack any degree of subtlety. Ebony – For the Rebel. This wand belongs to those who will not be easily swayed from their purpose, and excels in all kinds of combative magic, particularly Transfiguration. Elder – For the Fate-Touched. This wand goes to those with destiny, but is reputed to be deeply unlucky. This is likely because the wand is both very fickle, and very powerful. Elm – For the Noble. Presence, magical dexterity, and native dignity all attract this wand. Elm wands tend to be sophisticated, and capable of highly advanced and delicate magic. English Oak – For the Paragon. This wand indicates strength, courage, and fidelity, as well as powerful intuition and an affinity for ‘natural’ magic. Fir – For the Survivor. This wand indicates staying power, strength of purpose, and immense focus in its wielder. This wand is particularly suitable for Transfiguration. Hawthorn – For the Conflicted. This wand is both powerful and immensely versatile. However, poorly performed spells with this wand have a tendency to backfire. Hazel – For the Self Aware. This wand can take on the emotions of its wielder, and is also capable of outstanding magic. It also as the unique ability to detect hidden wells of water. Holly – For the Underdog. This wand can help curb its master’s impulsivity, and has a powerful affinity for protective spells. This wand is immensely powerful when paired with a Phoenix core. Hornbeam – For the Devoted. This wand indicates a single, pure, passion in its wielder. This wand adapts quickly to its user’s style of magic and code of honor. Larch – For the Diamond in the Rough. A wand which tends to find itself in the hands of those with hidden talents and unexpected depths, which mirrors its own nature. Laurel – For the Glory Seeker. A powerful and immensely loyal wand, so long as its wielder doesn’t turn lazy, in which case it will be won away easily. Maple – For the Challenger. This is the wand of high achievers, but will only find its potential in the hands of one who seeks out fresh challenges and regular changes of scene. Pear – For the Pillar. A wand for the warm-hearted, generous, and wise. Pear wands are immensely resilient, and tend to find themselves in the hands of the popular and well-respected. Pine – For the Venerable. This wand prefers independent and the individual wielders. It is associated with long life and has an affinity for new and creative uses. Poplar – For the Reliable. This wand tends to be found with those of clear moral vision. Poplar wands tend to be consistent, strong, and bear a uniform power. Red Oak – For the Whirlwind. This wand finds those with fast reactions, and its owners tend to be quick and adaptable. It is a powerful dueling wand, with a particular affinity for original spells. Redwood – For the Fortunate. This wand finds those who are lucky. Its wielders have a tendency to fall on their feet and snatch advantage from catastrophe. Rowan – For the Guardian. This wand has a particular affinity for defensive or protective spells, but also has a tendency to frequently outperform other wands in head-to-head fights. Silver Lime – For the Clairvoyant. This wand tends to perform best for Seers and those skilled in the mind arts. Spruce – For the Bold. A loyal and dramatic wand which requires a firm hand. This wand tends to find itself well-paired with bold users who have a good sense of humor. Sycamore – For the Adventurer. This wand is always eager for new experience and wilts if left to become bored. When properly used, this wand demonstrates a capacity to learn and adapt. Vine – For the Visionary. This wand prefers wielders with hidden depths, and is particularly receptive to its owner’s wishes and intent. Walnut – For the Innovator. This wand tends to seek out intelligent wielders. Unusually versatile and adaptable, but can potentially create a dangerous feedback loop if its user is irresponsible. Willow – For the Fledgeling. A wand attracted to those with great untapped potential. It also has an affinity for healing. Yew – For the Great - A wand attracted to prominence and notoriety of character, regardless of morality. This wand will never be wielded by a mediocre wizard. Affinity for curses and combat. On Wand Cores While the wood of a wand will usually indicate the wand’s primary characteristics or affinities, the core of the wand is what provides it nuance. Ollivander only produces three types of wand core, but his wands have a sterling reputation for a reason, and you can trust that you will rarely go wrong with one of his wands. Unicorn Hair This core usually produces consistent, safe, and reliable magic. These cores are also the hardest to turn to the Dark Arts, but are the most faithful and loyal of all wands. What it gains in consistency and loyalty, it loses in power and sensitivity however. Unicorn hair wands tend to be less powerful than Dragon Heartstring or Phoenix Feather, and if seriously mishandled, they may wilt and die. Dragon Heartstring As a rule, dragon heartstrings produce wands of the most power and flamboyance. They also tend to learn more quickly their other types. On the other hand, wands bearing a dragon heartstring core bear little ‘memory’ of their owners, and can not only be won away, but tend to bond strongly with their current master. As a whole, dragon heartstrings tend to be the easiest to turn to the dark arts (though it has no particular affinity or tendency towards them), and tends to be fairly temperamental and more prone to accidents than the other two cores. Phoenix Feather The rarest core type, Phoenix feathers have access to a wide range of magic and are more flexible than the other two cores. They also bear a certain initiative, and have a tendency to act of their own accord regardless of their masters wishes. Finally, these cores tend to make for a difficult wand to tame and personalize, and their allegiance is hard won. On Length For the most part, wands have a tendency to match their wielder’s stature, the tall tend to get longer wands, while the short get smaller ones. However, the more important aspect is the wand’s length relative to its user’s height. This tends to indicate their wielder’s personality, longer-than-average wands tend to be attracted towards big and dramatic personalities, while short ones seek the elegant and refined. Most wands are between nine and fourteen inches, however, Ollivander has occasionally sold abnormally large or short wands as well. While the larger wand was given to a client with a particular physical peculiarity, unusually short wands tend to go to those whose character lacks something, regardless of physical height. On Flexibility Wand Flexibility or rigidity denotes a wizard or witch’s adaptability and willingness to change. The more flexible a wand is, the more adaptable and easily changeable the wizard is, whereas a more rigid wand indicates steadfastness and stubbornness. The scale of flexibility is as follows, with 1 being the least flexible and 9 being the most: # Unyielding # Rigid # Inflexible # Firm # Supple # Pliable # Flexible # Springy # Yielding Wand Cheat Sheet * Acacia – The Thief, subtle and skilled, illusion magic affinity * Alder – The Stalwart, loyalty, non-verbal magic affinity * Apple – The Leader, charismatic idealist, magical creature affinity * Ash – The Implacable, stubborn and brave, loyal wand * Aspen – The Revolutionary, martial magic affinity * Beech – The Elder, wise and tolerant, particularly articulate wand * Blackthorn – The Warrior, powerful and loyal after going through hardship * Black Walnut – The True, good instincts, a loyal wand as long as the wielder is honest * Cedar – The Keen, perception and affinity for observation * Cherry – The Monk, powerful, but particularly volatile, for people with good self-control * Chestnut – The Wild Card, adaptive, amplifies core’s tendencies * Cypress – The Champion, bold and self-sacrificing, tendency to confront evil * Dogwood – The Trickster, mischievous and playful, tendency for dramatic and clever spells * Ebony – The Rebel, affinity for combat magic and transfiguration * Elder – The Fate-Touched, very powerful, but unlucky and fickle, particularly rare * Elm – The Noble, sophisticated and delicate, capable of advanced magic * English Oak – The Paragon, powerful intuition and particular affinity for ‘natural’ magic * Fir – The Survivor, indicates staying power, affinity for transfiguration * Hawthorn – The Conflicted, power and flexibility, but can backfire when used incorrectly * Hazel – The Mindful, empathic properties, amplifies talent, loyal, detects water underground * Holly – The Underdog, indicates impulsivity, protection affinity, super powerful with phoenix feather core * Hornbeam – The Specialist, particularly easy-going, tunes itself to its owner, near-sentient * Larch – The Diamond in the Rough, powerful, with unexpected depths * Laurel – The Glory Seeker, l''oyal and powerful, so long as its master continues to seek * '''Maple' – The Challenger, prefers high achievers who continuously seek fresh challenges * Pear – The Pillar, warm hearted, generous, and wise, owners tnd to be resilient and popular * Pine – The Venerable, independent, mysterious, creative, wielder tends to have a long life * Poplar – The Reliable, consistency, strength, uniform power, clear moral vision * Red Oak – The Whirlwind, fast reactions, light touch, quick witted, adaptable, and distinctive. * Redwood – The Fortunate, lucky, quick thinking, good intuition * Rowan – The Guardian, strong in defensive spells, good, powerful in 1 on 1 combat * Silver Lime – The Clairvoyant, affinity for mental magic and Seer powers * Spruce – The Bold, loyal and dramatic for those who can tame it * Sycamore – The Adventurer, curious, vital, and adventurous, learns and adapts quickly * Vine – The Visionary, ''attracted by hidden depth, and vision, high affinity with the owner * '''Walnut' – The Inventor, attracted by the intelligent, susceptible to feedback loops of power * Willow – The Fledgling, attracted by high potential, healing affinity * Yew – The Great, attracted to prominence, whether good or evil. affinity for curses/combat Choosing a Wand in Model Hogwarts Restricted wands As a reminder, wands made of Elder or with cores from exotic magical creatures such as Thestrals that are not included in the list above are restricted and need admin permission to be used. Ollivander's If one wants to roleplay a scene where they are given their wand by Ollivander, they can ping those with the Ollivander role by typing '''@Ollivander '''while they are in Diagon Alley over the summer. If someone who plays Ollivander is online and available, they will be notified. You can do this whether you know your wand already or not; just make sure to tell them beforehand if you have something in mind. Wand popularity Want to stand out or blend in with the masses? Here are some notes on the average wands in Model Hogwarts. The most common types of wand are Elm, Cherry, Alder, and Chestnut. The most common core is Dragon Heartstring. The average length of wands is about 11 and a half inches. Rare wand woods include Beech, Apple, Laurel, Dogwood, and Silver Lime. Links More detailed information on woods More detailed information on cores More detailed information on length and flexibility Category:OOC Articles Category:Character Creation